Publications

Improved memory and lower stress levels in male mice co-housed with ovariectomized female mice

Aggressiveness, expressed by fighting, is a frequent problem in group-housed laboratory male mice and results in increased stress, injury, and death. One way to prevent fighting is by pairing the male mice with ovariectomized female mice to provide a compatible...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Wikanthi, L. S. S., Forsström, J., Ewaldsson, B. et al. 2024. Improved memory and lower stress levels in male mice co-housed with ovariectomized female mice. Animals 14(10), 1503.

Health and welfare benefits of computerized cognitive enrichment in California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) at the US Navy Marine Mammal Program

Cognitive enrichment is becoming more prevalent in professional marine mammal facilities. Research with dolphins has suggested that such enrichment provides more welfare benefits than enrichment that does not incorporate cognitive challenge. However, there is little research supporting the use of...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Marine Mammal

Citation: Winship, K., McClain, A., Ramos, A. et al. 2024. Health and welfare benefits of computerized cognitive enrichment in California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) at the US Navy Marine Mammal Program. Animals 14(7), 1120.

Contactless vital signs monitoring in macaques using a mm-wave FMCW radar

Heart rate (HR) and respiration rate (RR) play an important role in the study of complex behaviors and their physiological correlations in non-human primates (NHPs). However, collecting HR and RR information is often challenging, involving either invasive implants or tedious...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological MeasurementAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Zhang, J., Hu, R., Chen, L. et al. 2024. Contactless vital signs monitoring in macaques using a mm-wave FMCW radar. Scientific Reports 14(1), 13863.

Effects of cold stress on the hemolymph of the Pacific white shrimp Penaeus vannamei

Temperature is an important factor in the physiological processes of aquatic organisms and can seriously affect several chemical and biological processes in their bodies, including respiratory metabolism, antioxidant capacity, immune capacity, and signal transduction. In this study, physiological, transcriptomic, and...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Crustacean, Invertebrate

Citation: Zhu, J., Shi, W., Zhao, R. et al. 2024. Effects of cold stress on the hemolymph of the Pacific white shrimp Penaeus vannamei. Fishes 9(1), 36.

Laboratory animal welfare meets human welfare: A cross-sectional study of professional quality of life, including compassion fatigue in laboratory animal personnel

Laboratory animal personnel may experience significant stress from working with animals in scientific research. Workplace stress can be assessed by evaluating professional quality of life, which is comprised of compassion fatigue (i.e., burnout and secondary traumatic stress) and compassion satisfaction....

Year Published: 2020Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Euthanasia, Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: All/General

Citation: LaFollette, M. R., Riley, M. C., Cloutier, S. et al. 2020. Laboratory animal welfare meets human welfare: A cross-sectional study of professional quality of life, including compassion fatigue in laboratory animal personnel. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 7, 114.

Recommendations for measuring and standardizing light for laboratory mammals to improve welfare and reproducibility in animal research

Light enables vision and exerts widespread effects on physiology and behavior, including regulating circadian rhythms, sleep, hormone synthesis, affective state, and cognitive processes. Appropriate lighting in animal facilities may support welfare and ensure that animals enter experiments in an appropriate...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: All/General, Cat, Dog, Goat, Macaque, Marmoset, Mouse, Nonhuman Primate, Pig, Rat, Rodent, Sheep, Vervet (African Green Monkey)

Citation: Lucas, R. J., Allen, A. E., Brainard, G. C. et al. 2024. Recommendations for measuring and standardizing light for laboratory mammals to improve welfare and reproducibility in animal research. PLOS Biology 22(3), e3002535.

Effects of the individual and pair housing of calves on long-term heifer production on a UK commercial dairy farm

Pair housing of pre-weaning dairy calves has previously demonstrated positive impacts on their growth, health and behaviour, but longer-term effects on production are still relatively unknown. This study followed a cohort of 431 Holstein heifers, recruited from a single UK...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Rearing & Weaning, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Mahendran, S. A., Wathes, D. C., Booth, R. E. et al. 2024. Effects of the individual and pair housing of calves on long-term heifer production on a UK commercial dairy farm. Animals 14(1), 125.

A multidimensional evaluation of the factors in the Animal Welfare Assessment Grid (AWAG) that are associated with, and predictive of, behaviour disorders in dogs

Behavioural disorders in dogs are common and have severe welfare consequences for dogs. This study aimed to assess the factors that are significant and predictive of behaviour problems in dogs using the animal welfare assessment grid (AWAG) to further understand...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Abnormal/Problematic BehaviorAnimal Type: Dog

Citation: Malkani, R., Paramasivam, S., Wolfensohn, S. 2024. A multidimensional evaluation of the factors in the Animal Welfare Assessment Grid (AWAG) that are associated with, and predictive of, behaviour disorders in dogs. Animals 14(4), 528.

Life in a fishbowl: Space and environmental enrichment affect behaviour of Betta splendens

The public has expressed growing concern for the well-being of fishes, including popular pet species such as the Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens). In captivity, male Bettas behave aggressively, often causing injuries and death if housed together. As a result,...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Housing, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Fish, Other Fish

Citation: Oldfield, R. G., Murphy, E. K. 2024. Life in a fishbowl: Space and environmental enrichment affect behaviour of Betta splendens. Animal Welfare 33, e1.

The influence of water nitrate concentration combined with elevated temperature on rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss in an experimental aquaponic setup

Intensive recirculating systems are a fast-developing sector of aquaculture. While several warm-water fish have been reared in aquaponics, almost no data are available for cold-water species. The determination of nitrate toxicity thresholds in recirculating aquaculture is crucial. Different pollutants are...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Fish, Trout

Citation: Papadopoulos, D. K., Lattos, A., Chatzigeorgiou, I. et al. 2024. The influence of water nitrate concentration combined with elevated temperature on rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss in an experimental aquaponic setup. Fishes 9(2), 74.